Asian Correspondent Burma News

Law: the bane of Burma’s landowners

By Francis Wade Fri, May 18, 2012 3:41PM UTC

The issue of land rights hangs like a heavy cloud over Burma. More than 60 percent of the country is reliant on agriculture as a primary source of income, yet farmers are not allowed to own the land they work – instead, they effectively rent it from the government, meaning

US eases economic sanctions to reward Burma

By AP News Fri, May 18, 2012 12:20PM UTC

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama on Thursday declared a new chapter in U.S. relations with Burma, easing an investment ban and naming the first U.S. ambassador to the former pariah state in 22 years to reward it for democratic reforms. Both Republican and Democrat senators welcomed the administration’s move,

Malaysians, Thais arrested in crystal meth bust

By AP News Thu, May 17, 2012 12:41PM UTC

BANGKOK (AP) — Police in southern Thailand have seized 26 kilograms (57 pounds) of crystal methamphetamine concealed in a pickup truck’s headlights. They arrested six people and say the drugs were to be smuggled to Malaysia. Police Maj. Gen. Surapon Thuanthong said Wednesday that four Malaysians and two Thais were

Cricket: Fixing allegations put BCCI on the spot

By Bala Murali Krishna Wed, May 16, 2012 11:12PM UTC

Few across the country may have heard of T.P. Sudhindra, Shalabh Srivastava, Mohnish Mishra, Amit Yadav or Abhinav Bali. They are the five cricketers suspended after a sting operation by an Indian television channel showed them agreeing to unfair, and probably illegal, deals that bring shame to the fair name

Seoul: Burma halts arms buys from Pyongyang

By AP News Tue, May 15, 2012 5:43PM UTC

YANGON, Burma (AP) — Burma’s president has assured his South Korean counterpart that his country will no longer buy weapons from North Korea, while conceding it had done so to some extent over the past 20 years. In his meeting with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, Burma President Thein Sein